A circulation type coin dispensing apparatus which receives coins to store them in a coin storing portion and dispenses the received coins in the coin storing portion has the function of allowing newly received coins to overflow when a coin stored amount in the coin storing portion exceeds a predetermined amount. This keeps a stored amount in the coin storing portion at a proper stored amount. In this case, it is known in the art to cause coins to slide down naturally on an overflow chute when a piling amount exceeds a predetermined amount by replenishing coins from a slot-shaped replenishing port to accumulate the coins in piles.
For example, in JP-A-2003-102903 (FIG. 2, Page. 4) a pachinko-slot machine is disclosed in which coins deposited from a slot are discriminated about their authenticity by a coin selector, and true coins are dropped into a storing bowl, and stored in piles. The storing bowl is part of a coin storing portion of a coin hopper with a slot-shaped replenishing port. When an amount of the coins accumulated in piles exceeds a predetermined amount, the coins are dropped to an overflow chute beyond a wall, and then the coins slide on the overflow chute and are stored in a safe. Since the coins stored are accumulated in piles in the coin storing portion, there is a problem that the coins are accumulated without being caused to overflow when the coins sliding down to the overflow chute are jammed.
Another technique detects a stored amount in a coin storing portion. When it is detected that the stored amount reaches a predetermined amount, coins received are distributed to an overflow chute and stored in a safe without being stored in the coin storing portion. For example, a full sensor composed of a pair of electrodes is disposed in the coin storing portion. A storing portion and a distributing apparatus to the overflow chute are disposed on a downstream side of a coin receiving portion. Since coins are distributed to the coin storing portion and the overflow chute before the coins are stored in the coin storing portion, the coins are not accumulated so as to exceed the stored amount. However, since the full sensor and the distributing apparatus must be provided, such a coin dispensing apparatus becomes expensive.